Reducer and Hardener Brands

[Mpope03]

I am gathering all the parts and supplies to clean and paint a 1650 I just acquired. So far I have the air compressor, media blaster, HVLP gun, and two quarts of Cub Cadet paint (yellow and white).

My question is what brand of Reducer and Hardener is everyone using, and where can I get it. Our NAPA closed down, and the closest one is over an hour away now, and they won't ship it. I am looking for alternatives.

Also, is it safe to pressure wash the tractor's innards (basically I have all the front end sheet metal, fenders, and center cover off the tractor). There is an incredible amount of grease and dirt in there and I would like to pressure wash it before trying to clean further. Is there anything other than carb and electrical that I should be careful of?

Thanks!

[J-Mech]

As far as reducer goes, if you bought paint from Cub Cadet, then it is more than likely enamel paint. Read on the can, it will tell you what to reduce with. Most likely it will be lacquer thinner. You can get that at any hardware store. Wal-Mart even carries it. Hardener, I like "Wet Look" hardener. You can get it most anywhere automotive paint is sold. Hope you like a gloss finish because it will make it glossy. If you shoot anything with black I suggest using flat black with the Wet Look hardener, as if you use gloss it really, really looks "wet". I don't like it in gloss paint, as it's just too glossy for me.

As far as power washing: Power wash that thing! You won't hurt it. You won't hurt the wiring. Now, things like the coil, or the ammeter, you want to stay away from those as much as you can. Just be smart, don't spray directly on a seal for very long. You won't "hurt" it as much as it's just possible to push water past the seal. Passing glances won't hurt. Don't be scared. Oh, and the S/G..... you won't hurt it either.

[bocephus1991]

My 2 cents get the reducer and hardner from where you bought the paint. Careful about mixing brands and follow the instructions on the can. Use what it suggests if it suggests naphtha use naptha or if it says paint thinner use paint thinner. I screwed up and used thinner in my primer instead of naptha like it suggested and it took two weeks for my primer to dry and it looked like gloss gray for a ferguson! It sat in the sun for two weeks in 90+ heat to get it dry, lesson learned the hard way! Prep work is the key like Jon said wash it up good! Get a good base for the paint to adhere to. The quality of your paint job is no better than your prep work.

[CADplans]

I use whatever enamel paint is at TSC at the time,,,,

My paint guy recommended 8:4:1 mix, 1 being the hardener.

I have used that mix 3 times, excellent results!!

NAPA gave me the measuring cups free when I bought their reducer.

The reducer I use is Martin Senour Cross/FIRE, either 233 or 234 depending on the temperature that day.

It dries 10X faster than naptha reducer, and is almost impossible to get a run with Cross/FIRE.

I get the hardener at TSC.

I would drive an hour to get that reducer from NAPA, but, you might have a paint store near by that carries it.

Try here:
http://www.martinsenour.com/locations/

[olds45512]

Ppg sells a enamel hardner in there shop line brand that works very well, as for reducer you can use just about any urethane reducer and it will be fine, reducer is only used to thin the paint for spraying and will all evaporate out as it dries.

[mjsoldcub]

As the others said; it definitely depends on what paint youre using....reducers in my world are to retard flash and dry times, depending on temperature and humidy....as far as thinning solvents go, paints are particular, yes they evaporate but they play a role in the cross linking (if its hardened, epoxies, 2 parts) or the curing process and can effect the results, hardness, shine, etc...for most simple single stage enamels, naptha thinner and valspar hardener (in the blue can, not the one at the local farm and barn) will have good results...for irongard, you have to use their thinner also, go figure....enamel i shot yesterday i had to use xylene....so just read up and check around, ask questions...as the others said; the prep is super important....hope that helps some and good luck....

[Mpope03]

Thanks for all the help! I was able to find what I needed at an O'Reilly's yesterday. Weather permitting, I hope to try it out this weekend.

[gsomersjr]

DO NOT use lacquer thinner in any enamel based paint! Sorry for the caps and exclamation point but this is bad news if you try it. Use a compatable enamel reducer only.

[CC129]

Originally Posted by mjsoldcub

As the others said; it definitely depends on what paint youre using....reducers in my world are to retard flash and dry times, depending on temperature and humidy....as far as thinning solvents go, paints are particular, yes they evaporate but they play a role in the cross linking (if its hardened, epoxies, 2 parts) or the curing process and can effect the results, hardness, shine, etc...for most simple single stage enamels, naptha thinner and valspar hardener (in the blue can, not the one at the local farm and barn) will have good results...for irongard, you have to use their thinner also, go figure....enamel i shot yesterday i had to use xylene....so just read up and check around, ask questions...as the others said; the prep is super important....hope that helps some and good luck....

I'm trying to find out what reducers to use in high humidty situations.
I don't think the recommended Mineral Spirits is going to work and want to use something with a quicker flash but still allow the paint to self level.
It appears alkyd enamels are quite flexible on what reducers you can use.
For example majic has their own reducer but claim you can use whichever one you want as well.

[cowdiddly]

Reducers are not for flash and dry times but for proper paint spraying performance.
There is only 3 kinds slow medium and fast. In winter or cold conditions a fast drying reducer is used to try to cut down runs. Medium reducer generally works good in most situations around 70-90 degrees. The slow stuff was really made for the south body shops that have to paint in 100+ degree weather'
You will know if your reducer is drying to fast when you are spraying and your paint is looking like peach fuzz hitting the part because the paint droplets are drying before they get to the surface.
And, DO NOT use Lacquer thinner. Its designed to thin... well Lacquer, an old school type of paint that is rarely used today except on a few period correct hot rod jobs. It really is a labor intensive type of paint but can have beautiful results (those 10 coat labor of love color sanded slick as glass jobs) but not as durable as some stuff today.

What you got from cub is most likely just a simple Alkhyd Enamel and usually mineral spirits are called for and work just fine. Fancy reducers are not needed for industrial enamel.This type of paint used to be called just Industrial Enamel and was designed for industry to be able to paint bare metal w/o priming. If you do prime it will take longer to dry or be gummy. sometimes weeks or even months to really get hard but it will get enamel hard when fully cured. This is why I dont' care for it as much as a single stage Urethane. Single stage urethane is nice and drys hard pretty fastplus you can use a urethane clear over it if you so desire but I dont, that defeats the purpose of single stage paint and you might as well go base coat clear.
.. I use a bargain brand called Limco made by BASF that does not cost to much more than what you paid for that cub branded paint but is a way better Automotive type finish. But industial enamel is fine for lawn mowers and the correct paint. Its just if im going to love on and hand sand something I'm uprading the finish. but thats just me. That and I love playing around with those House of Kolor pearls.
Hope you find something you can use. regards